


yellow hoodies

by bunnykoos



Category: TXT (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Huening Kai is a sunshine, M/M, Whipped Taehyun, astronomy metaphors
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-02
Updated: 2020-01-02
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:48:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22084438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bunnykoos/pseuds/bunnykoos
Summary: Taehyun learns to love the day through yellow hoodies, brown locks and pink sunsets, even after the sun’s absence.
Relationships: Huening Kai/Kang Taehyun
Comments: 8
Kudos: 93





	yellow hoodies

**Author's Note:**

> hi! this is the first fic i ever finished i hope you guys will enjoy it <3 please leave some comments or feedback so i’ll know what to improve on! my twitter is @taegyults

Taehyun had always been a little jaded, he admits. Even growing as a child, he was different than others, a lot different. While the other kids ran under the heat of the sun, Taehyun stayed within the confines of his room reading books he took from his father’s desk. 

People love the day, the rays of the sun peaking through the clouds and the light blue sky hovering above. But Taehyun wasn’t the same. He never understood what there was to love about the day. The beads of sweat that trailed down his back and the loud chattering noise had always made him uncomfortable. All he liked were the shadows he got to play with, the ones he tried to chase. 

The night though had always been a safe haven for him, his sanctuary. With the blanket of black and only the stars and the moon hung up to give light, Taehyun felt at ease staring at the constellations and tracing the patterns with his finger. The streets would be clear, the city would be asleep and it would only be him and his conversations with the universe.

Taehyun fell in love with the night and its all its wonders and he never thought he would fall in love the same way with the day.

That was until he met Hueningkai.

Taehyun remembers sitting in the cafeteria alone in his junior year in high school, reading about the way stars are made and how they burn, when a tray was placed atop the table where he was sat. He looked up curiously and he saw a boy with dark wavy hair, grinning at him shyly. “Is this seat taken?” he had asked. Taehyun could only shake his head, confused and appalled.

Taehyun remembers sneaking glances at the boy, observing his features. He has a bad habit of staring at people and he couldn’t help but get entranced by the boy in front of him. He remembers seeing the sun in him in the way his cheeks were rosy from the heat, how his clothes were all bright and yellow, how his eyes were the prettiest shade of brown and how his hair perfectly framed his face. He was dainty, delicate. The boy reminded him of flowers in the fields and pink sunsets.

The boy looked up from his food and caught Taehyun staring. The latter felt blood rush to his cheeks, felt himself getting flustered. The boy simply smiled at him and went back to eating, making Taehyun quickly go back to reading his book.

They had stayed that way for a few minutes, looking occasionally at each other until the bell rang. Taehyun stood up and was about to walk away when he was stopped by a hand on his shoulder.

“I’m Hueningkai,” it was the boy. He extended his hand and Taehyun took a sharp breath before taking it into his and shaking it. Taehyun ignored the way his heart started racing at the warmth of another hand in his.

“I’m Taehyun,” he said lowly. 

“It’s nice to meet you,” Hueningkai flashed him one last smile before he let go of Taehyun’s hand. “I’ll see you around.” He then turned away and jogged towards the exit, leaving Taehyun with his rapid heartbeat ringing in his ears.

Ever since that day, Hueningkai would sit with Taehyun, wearing yellow and bringing with him a bottle of banana milk. He sometimes asked Taehyun questions such as “How was your day?” and “What book are you reading?” Taehyun answered all of them and Hueningkai always bore a satisfied look on his face. And though Taehyun usually preferred keeping to himself, he found himself not minding and perhaps even enjoying the boy’s company. 

Maybe it was the way Hueningkai respected Taehyun’s space and how silences weren’t awkward with him. They could not say a word to each other except their salutations and farewell and Taehyun would still leave the cafeteria with biggest smile on his face.

But then maybe it was also the way Hueningkai dealt with Taehyun when he was in a dull mood, when he had not wanted to be anywhere but locked up in his room, the Taehyun who would usually push everyone away and glare at anyone in his path but somehow couldn’t do the same to Hueningkai. 

Taehyun once entered the cafeteria, angry and upset over everything and nothing. He had left his book at home so he was unable to make himself feel better and wipe off the permanent glare from his face. 

Hueningkai was already sat at their table, waving at him as he ate ice cream. Taehyun could only nod his head in response as he joined him.

“What’s got you all upset?” Hueningkai asked, eyes wide. Taehyun had always liked the other’s eyes. He liked the way they were round and so innocent looking, liked the way his emotions were reflected in them, how they were then full of concern. His eyes reminded him of Bambi and Taehyun reckoned that the saying, ‘the eyes are the window to the soul’ was made after the younger. He reckoned that he was the muse for many sonnets and poems.

Taehyun coughed, pushing those thoughts away to the back of his mind. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Okay,” the younger continued to grin widely and placed his legs against Taehyun’s. He continued to talk about his day, about how he flunked his maths test, about his fun memories as a kid. He’d say jokes here and there, making Taehyun roll his eyes and hide his laugh with his hand. Hueningkai would join him in laughing, letting out giggles that Taehyun knew were what sunshine and rainbows would sound like. 

And just like that, Taehyun’s sadness was now forgotten and all in his mind were yellow hoodies and cheeky smiles.

Taehyun also never knew he needed a friend like Hueningkai until he met him.

It had been two months since Hueningkai first sat with Taehyun and in the latter’s mind was a treasure box labelled “Hueningkai.” There he stored all that the boy said, even the seemingly trivial things.

Hueningkai has two sisters, one older and one younger. He has the habit of collecting plushies, giving them names and hugging them all when he sleeps. He loves mint chocolate ice cream and wearing hoodies with flare jeans. Yellow is his favorite color and though he has limited yellow clothes, he wears it because it puts him in a good mood and because Taehyun once said that he liked seeing him in yellow.

And though Taehyun would deny it, Hueningkai took a huge space in his heart which had memories he’ll always hold on to.

“Hyunie, what would you do if you only had 24 hours left to live?” Hueningkai once asked him, speaking with his mouth full of chips and Taehyun should really be disgusted, but he could only roll his eyes fondly.

“I don’t know. I think I would read a book,” Taehyun replied.

“But you always read a book. What would be the difference?” Hueningkai seemed frustrated with his answer.

“It’ll be another book?” Hueningkai groaned at that and covered his face with his hands. Yeah, he was definitely frustrated. 

Taehyun kicked the boy’s foot. “What about you? What would you do?”

Hueningkai looked at the ceiling while stroking his nonexistent beard. Like the dork he is, Taehyun thought. 

“I think I would go on a road trip. I want to go to as many places as I can with someone I love and make memories. At least that way, I’ll carry happy memories with me to the afterlife,” the younger grinned.

“You don’t even know if there’s an afterlife. It’s most likely a myth anyways,” Taehyun snorted and a french fry hit face. “Hey!”

“Stop acting like an old man.”

“Alright, Jesus. Since that’s your plan, who are you bringing with you?” Taehyun would rather die than admit it but at the back of his mind was a thought wishing the answer would be him.

“Of course it’ll be you, dummie.” Hueningkai gave him a smile that made his eyes disappear into crescents and Taehyun could only take his book again to hide the blush on his cheeks.

I’d love to go with you, Taehyun all but says. “Whatever, as long as we go stargazing.” 

If Taehyun were to trace back to the time he realized he was harboring romantic feelings for Hueningkai, it would have to be when he realized that he belonged somewhere, other than the night.

“Hyunie, I have something to ask you,” Hueningkai said then, leaning forward and resting his chin on his hands.

“That’s nothing new,” Taehyun retorted and continued before the boy could say anything else. “Go ahead.”

“Why do you like reading about the stars so much?” Hueningkai tilted his head in curiosity, like a little puppy. Cute.

Taehyun smiled. “It’s not just the stars. I love reading about the night. It’s my safe haven.”

Taehyun looked out the window and thought of nights where he cried to the moon and where only the stars were what gave him something to look forward to. The night was where he only felt like he belonged.

He continued, “I’ve always felt like a star, burning endlessly to desperately shine. And I guess when I need a little more to push me forward, I read about the universe so that I’ll remember that there’s the unknown I can always count on.”

Hueningkai stared at him with amazement in his eyes along with something Taehyun couldn’t decipher. The younger offered him a smile and said, “Then if that’s case, I’d gladly be the moon for you, Hyunie. I’ll be your friend who keeps you company.”

The words left Taehyun’s lips before he could stop himself. “You’re more of the sun, though. You’re a happy pill, bright and warm. Like day.”

A blush rose to his cheeks once he realized what he said. He bit his lip and muttered an apology, embarrassed to have said something so cheesy.

Hueningkai shook his head, a matching shade of pink dusted on his cheeks. “I never knew you saw me that way.”

“It’s hard not to when all you wear is yellow and you never stop smiling and laughing.” Taehyun mumbled, not bearing to look the other in the eyes. He had never wanted the earth to swallow him whole.

A giggle left Hueningkai’s lips and Taehyun felt his heart jump. Oh how it had become his favorite sound. “I’ll be your sun then. I can still be your friend from afar so the day can also be your home.”

Home. Taehyun could believe that Hueningkai was just that and that perhaps the unknown wasn’t all he could count on.

But just as the sun descends from the sky, so did Taehyun’s sun disappear from his sight.

The day came where the boy didn’t come to sit with him in the cafeteria. Whenever the doors opened, Taehyun’s head would snap up and when he saw anyone but Hueningkai, his heart sunk into his stomach. 

Taehyun told himself that Hueningkai was just busy, ignoring the voice in his head telling him that no matter what happened, Hueningkai always came. Maybe he just fell sick, Taehyun reasoned with himself to bury his worries.

The next day, Hueningkai still didn’t come. Two days turned into a week, a week turned into two, and still no Hueningkai.

Taehyun had never felt lonelier in his life. He was always content with being alone, just him and the night, but how could he ever be okay when he got a taste of happiness and learned to look forward to the day?

For those nights, Taehyun couldn’t even look at the stars without images of a radiant smile and Bambi eyes popping into his mind. He couldn’t look at the moon without thinking of how much brighter a certain laugh is, how warmer someone is. He couldn’t stop thinking of yellow hoodies, flowers and pink sunsets. That night was the first time Taehyun hated the night, the first time he missed the sun, his sun.

The next day, Taehyun still couldn’t help but hope, can’t help but search for brown locks and a yellow hoodie. But disappointment once again sat in his chest and he too sat alone at their table, closing his eyes and trying to even his breath. He can’t cry here, not now.

Minutes passed by and Taehyun felt a hand touch his shoulder. His eyes fluttered open and looked up. There was the boy with brown locks whom Taehyun missed and Taehyun loves. “Hyunie,” Hueningkai said.

Taehyun stood up and threw his arms around the younger and buried his face into his neck. “I missed you.”

Taehyun felt Hueningkai stiffen and he was in the process of letting go until the latter pulled him back in and held him tighter. “I missed you more.”

“I was so worried,” Taehyun muttered. He had never been this happy in his life to see another person.

A giggle escaped Hueningkai’s lips. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you.” 

They stayed holding each other until Taehyun’s arms began to ache and he had to let go. “Let’s sit down.”

Now that Taehyun had the chance to take the other in, he noticed that Hueningkai was wearing a black hoodie instead and that there were bags sporting under his eyes. His eyes didn’t have their usual liveliness and his usual rose-colored cheeks were now a paler tone. He wore a smile on his lips but it seem forced and Taehyun couldn’t resist to stay silent.

“What happened?”

Hueningkai only weakly shrugged and nothing had shattered Taehyun more. The elder reached his hands out and held Hueningkai’s. 

“I’m leaving for Hawaii tomorrow,” Hueningkai sighed. “My parents decided that it’s best if we move back in with my father. We were processing our documents and packing up the past weeks.”

The younger boy’s voice shook as he spoke and Taehyun saw the way he was trying to stop his tears from streaming down his cheeks. “Hyunie, I don’t wanna go.”

Taehyun held his hands tighter and he hated nothing more than watching the other’s face crumple. He moved to sit besides the boy and enveloped him into a hug. Hueningkai burst into tears then and Taehyun felt his world fall apart.

It was watching the clouds shift to hide the sun and the sky turn darker and duller. It was witnessing the heat and rays of light slowly disappearing, replaced by grey as the clouds’ tears fell and hit the ground. 

Taehyun had never experienced heartbreak like this, never wanted to curse the universe this much for making his sun cry.

Taehyun let Hueningkai cry into his chest as he rubbed circles on his back with one hand and held the younger’s hand in the other. “Hyuka, it will be okay. You’ll be back with your friends and you’ll make new ones there. You’ll miss Seoul but you’ll be able to build a new life there. I know you can.”

Hueningkai pulled away to look Taehyun in the eyes. His nose was beginning to turn red, his round eyes were puffy, his hair was standing up in different directions, his cheeks were wet with tears and his lips were jutted in a pout. Taehyun’s breath hitched. He had never seen someone this beautiful.

“I know,” Hueningkai replied. “I know I can but you won’t be there, Hyunie. I won’t have you and I’ll be missing you so much.” 

The younger burst into tears again and at that, Taehyun held him tighter, kissing the top of his head and finally letting himself cry after two weeks of missing the boy, allowing himself to bask in his sadness because he’ll continue to miss him. “I’ll miss you more. I really will.”

Hueningkai and Taehyun remained in each other’s arms, ignoring the way the bell rung and the way it was only them in the cafeteria left. 

“Do you have any plans later?” Taehyun asked, tracing the lines on Hueningkai’s palm. He knew what to do on their last day together.

Hueningkai shook his head. “I already finished packing.”

“Let’s go somewhere, just the two of us. I don’t want our memories to be just us in the cafeteria.” The younger giggled and muttered an ‘okay’ before closing his eyes.

That night, they rode the bus and once they reached their destination, Taehyun put a blindfold around Hueningkai’s eyes despite the other’s complaints. (“Is this really necessary?” “Yes” “I’m sure it’s not” “Just wear it and come with me”)

“Where are we?” Hueningkai asked, trying to remove the blindfold.

“Stop that. You’ll just see,” Taehyun held his hand and guided him. He hoped that the younger would like what he had prepared. This was a piece of himself, another one, he was ready to give to Hueningkai. 

“Okay, we’re here. You can take it off.”

Hueningkai quickly removed the blindfold and once he saw what was in front of him, he gasped.

“Do you like it?” Nervousness laced Taehyun’s voice. 

“It’s amazing, Hyunie.” They were at the rooftop of an apartment building and from there they could see the entire city, the clear night sky.

“This is my favorite place in Seoul. My family and I used to live in this apartment when I was a kid. I’d often go up here to stargaze.”

Taehyun could still remember the first time he ran up to the rooftop, trying to run away from the fights in the household. The night was clear then and he saw stars scattered across the sky. He sat there for hours, crying to the moon, until his mother found him. 

“Hyunie,” Hueningkai held Taehyun’s hand tightly in his. “Thank you for sharing this with me.”

“There’s no one else I would like to share it with,” Taehyun said sincerely. “Come on, I have a blanket and food in my bag.”

Taehyun brought out the food and put the blanket on the floor, laying down on it. “Come here,” he gestured towards the younger and extending his arm for Hueningkai to place his head on.

“If we had more time, I would have taken you on a road trip,” Taehyun whispered as he ran his hands through Hueningkai’s hair. “So that both of our wishes would come true.”

“I’m sorry. I should’ve told you sooner.” Hueningkai looked sadly at him and Taehyun couldn’t help but frown.

“Don’t be. It’s not your fault. It’s no one’s fault.”

“I don’t need to go on a roadtrip though. Having you here is enough,” Hueningkai said softly.

They stayed silent for a few moments and Taehyun thought that he could stay like this forever. The moon and stars were there for him since he was a child and now he had the sun in his arms.

Hueningkai asked Taehyun to tell him about the stars and he did. He held his hand and traced the patterns across the sky, telling him about the stories behind the constellations. He told him about the myths of the sun and moon, how some believed that they were once in love but were separated for the world’s sake and how the gods compensated by giving them the eclipse.

“The myth sounds like us,” the younger said in a melancholic tone as he stared at the clouds.

Taehyun never planned on confessing his feelings for the boy out of the fear that he’ll ruin the friendship they have built, but as he heard the younger’s words and stared at him, he realized can’t let him go without telling him how much he cares for him, how much he loves him. It’s now or never, he thought.

“I like you, Hyuka. A lot and as more than a friend. I’ve liked you since you made jokes to cheer me up,” Taehyun could feel himself on the verge of choking on his own words, could feel his heart going haywire within his chest but he can’t stop now. “I never knew I needed someone like you in my life and I don’t mean to burden you with my feelings but I need you to know how dear you are to me and it’s okay if you don’t feel the same.”

Taehyun breathed heavily and he looked anywhere but at Hueningkai. He felt a hand caress his cheek, forcing him to look at the other in the eyes. In a fond voice, Hueningkai asked, “Why do you think I sat with you that day?”

Taehyun shrugged, having no clue, making the younger break into giggles before continuing. “I already liked you then. I always saw you sitting alone in the cafeteria, reading a book and I found it cute how you were in your own little world.”

Taehyun stared at him, eyes wide in shock and jaw ajar. He never knew someone would take a liking in him, much less someone as lovely as Hueningkai. 

“Not to mention your pretty eyes,” the younger teased, taking advantage of Taehyun’s flustered state before he sat up and took something from his pocket and placed it in Taehyun’s hands. “I got something for you.”

In the elder’s hands was a sun keychain with the words, ‘I’ll always be with you’ written behind it in messy handwriting.

“I couldn’t stop thinking of what you said that day. I personally don’t believe that I’m the sun but I could try to be that for you,” Hueningkai sounded nervous and Taehyun had never loved someone so much. “I want to always be beside you but until we meet again, I want you to have this so you can have the sun with you wherever you go.”

Hueningkai’s eyes were glistening with tears and Taehyun looked down at his lap, shaking his head profusely and holding the keychain tight. “I’m going to miss you so much, Hyuka.”

Hueningkai embraced the elder and placed his chin atop his head. “I’ll miss you more. Let’s keep in contact, okay?”

Taehyun nodded his head and they held unto each other as they fell asleep. From far away, the skies mourned for having separated the moon and the sun again, this time in another lifetime. 

Taehyun sighs at the memory and looks out the window from the same table they used to sit at from five years ago. 

The sky is clear and the sun could be seen in all its radiant glory. The birds are chirping and smiles adorn the faces of strangers, making warmth spread all over his body. High school kids are running, chasing after each other with sweat dampening their clothes and at that, Taehyun laughs. He has grown to appreciate the day but that is something he will never find himself liking to do.

He takes the sun keychain from atop his book and grazed his finger over the words, ‘I’ll always be with you.’ He smiles and takes his book from the table before leaving the cafeteria that held too many precious memories.

He hasn’t seen Hueningkai since the night at the rooftop and they lost contact after a few months since then. Taehyun’s phone got broken and he was unable to find the younger’s number again. He tried to contact him through other ways, but to no avail. Taehyun remembers being absolutely heartbroken, remembers the way he locked himself in his room and ate in the school’s garden instead. He remembers staying away from the rooftop for months, adamant on avoiding everything that he associated with Hueningkai. But he eventually grew tired of running away. It was futile. He could never forget no matter how he tried and he could never bring himself to let go of the younger boy so one night, Taehyun held the sun keychain in his hand as he cried and he told himself that he would be happy, at least for Hueningkai. He realized too that he had always been more of the moon than the stars. He was able to shine through Hueningkai and even though they reside in different places and skies, he still seeks him in his memories and is able to carry him everywhere he goes.

Even if years had already passed, Taehyun knows in his heart that he will always love Hueningkai. After all, he was the boy whose giggles were sunshine and cheeks were pink sunsets, the first true friend he ever had, the first one who reached out to him, the first soul to understand his, the first one he gave his heart to, his first love. The night is still Taehyun’s safe haven but he had found his home in a boy with brown locks and yellow hoodies.

And though no part of the day will ever be warmer and brighter than Hueningkai and though there is still an empty space in Taehyun’s heart, he learns to love the day in the absence of his sun. He had always seen Hueningkai in the flowers, in the summer heat, in the pink sunsets, in the dawn, in spring and in joyous laughter, and he learns to love each one the way he fell in love with the younger boy.

And each day, he hopes for the day they’ll finally reunite, awaits their eclipse.

Unbeknownst to him, the other boy holds on to the moon keychain he got for himself and looks out the window of the airplane, smiling to himself. “I’ll finally see you soon again, Hyunie.”


End file.
